Automatic loop setter for moving-picture machines



Oct. 30 1923.

-F BONK, JR,

AUTOMATIC LOOP SETTER FOR MOVING PICTURE MACHINES I Filed Jan 27.

g drawings, in which: a V

Figure 1 is a side elevation of myinven- Patented Oct. 30, 1923.

arr

FRANK LBONK, 33., 0F RIBQLILWISCONSIN.

' AUTOMAT1C LOOP SET'BER FOR Movmwmc'rURnMAonmEs.

Application filed January 2'7, 1922. Seria1j1TOP5321342.

To all whom-it may concern.

Be it known that I, FRANK BoNK, Jr., a citizen of the United States, andresident of Ripon in the county ot'fFond du Lac and State of lVisconsin,rhave' invented certain new andeuse'fulImprovements in Automatic LoopSetters for Moving-Picture Machines; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to anew and useful improvement for automaticallysetting a loop in the film of a moving picturemachine.

It very frequently'happens that the pin holes, by means of which thefilm is advanced, become torn so that the pins on the roller cease tofeed the same when the torn places are, reached, hen these torn placesreach the intermittently driven roller, which draws the film across theprojector, that portion of the film ceasesto advance while operation ofthe take-up roll will continue" and draw up the loop and the film isthen very likely to break and the picture is also likely to becomemisplaced on the screen,

One important object of my invention .is to provide automatic means torelieve this excessive strain on the film, and thereby obviat thepossibility of breaking it and the consequent interruption of thepicture.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a clutch for theloop roller, and means for automatically throwing out the same wheneverthe loop is drawn tight.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby a loop maybe set at the will of the operator without any interruption of thepicture. r

lVith the above and other objects in view, which will be apparent asthedescription proceeds, the invention resides in certain details ofstructurewhich will be fully described in connection with theaccompanytion applied to a moving picture machine.

Figure 2 is' a sectional plan view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure-1.

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section on the line 3+3 of Figure 2 nd1 Figure 1 is a sectional detailed view on the line 44'of Figure 3.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates afilm which passes over the intermittently driven pin roller 2, and thenormally constantly driven roll which is frictionally drivenv shaft 6and is caused to rotate therewith, in

the present instance, by-the pin 7 which normally engages the recess inthe end of the roller. The'pin 7 is carried by the clutch member 8,which is keyed to the extension 9 which is secured to the shaft 6.

'The extension 9 in the resent instance is formed with a: head 10, andthe coil spring 11 is carried on the extensionbetween the head and theclutch member 8 and normally holds the pin in engagement with the recessin the roller. The clutch member 8 is controlled by a collar 12 carriedby the yoke 13 which is secured to the spindle 14. A bracket 15 isformed on the yoke 13 and bears against the roller 3 with sufiicientpressure so that when: the clutch releases the roller, the latter willcease to rotate, the pressure of the brake 15 being suflicient toovercome the pull exerted by the take-up The end of the spindle 14 ispivotallyconnected at 16 to one-end of a lever 17, which isintermediately pivoted at 18 on a bracket 19 attached to the side of themachine. Thus it will be seen that the operator by swinging the lever at18 may at any time shift the clutch and set the loop without in any wayinterfering with the movement of the picture.

- A cam plate 20 is also attached to the spindle 1 1 and has an inclinededge 21 with which the rock arm 22 is normally engaged. The rock arm hasa laterally projecting portion 23. around which the loop passes.

In the event that the holes are torn so that the roller 2 tails to feedthe'film across the projector, the roller 3 will continue to drawmember8 from the roller 3.- It is to be noted that. the arm 23 isengaged by the inner side .of the loop only when the loop is shortened apredetermined amount. Normally, the film passes free of the arm '23,-

and therefore unnecessary contact with the film is normally avoided.

From the above description it will be ob.- vious that when the loop isdrawn tight, the clutch will be thrown out before any damage occurstothe film. .It'will also be obvious that the loop may be reset almost .in

stanta1 1eously, and sometimes without any lone in the audiencenoticing. anything 'unusual.

WVhile I have shown and described one specific form in which myinvention may beembodied, it will be obvious that many minor changes maybe made in the structural detail-s without departing from the spirit ofthe invention, as claimed. I

I claim .as my invention: Y 1. In a moving picture machine, a rollerover which the loopof the film advances, adrive shaft on which theroller is mounted,

a clutch for connecting the roller to the shaft'lto rotate therewith,means for automatically shipping the'clutch when the size of the loopreaches a predetermined mini- -I have hereunto set 111 the county ofFond u Lac and. State of Wisconsin.

mum, and means for functionally engaging said roller to stop it whentheclutch 1s slipping. .2, In a movin picture machine, a roller overwhich the Io means for automatically stoppingthe rotation of the rollerwhen the size of the loop is to rotate therewith, means for normally opof the film'advancea operable means ;for preventing holding the clutchin engagement, means for automatically shipping the clutch when the sizeof the loop reduces a predetermined minimum, and manuallyoperable meansfor.

holdin the clutch out of engagement while a new oop isbeing set.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I FRANK BONK, Ja

hand at Ripon, 11;

